Gone
by Corey Riffin
Summary: My sister's diary is gone, suddenly Nick Mallory has a new girlfriend, and someone in my band actually has lyric ideas? It's funny how so many things can change over one funky weekend. Heh, I even think I'm starting to develop a crush on someone myself… (Corey POV; looking for a cowriter). Please review, fave, and follow, thank you!


My sister's diary is gone, suddenly Nick Mallory has a new girlfriend, and someone in my band actually has lyric ideas? It's funny how so many things can change over one funky weekend. Heh, I even think I'm starting to develop a crush on someone myself…

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I am not going to start off with any mysterious tomfoolery to draw you in. No. I'm a straightforward kind of guy. Even though I can be oblivious and insensitive sometimes, I still have feelings. I don't always know I have them until its too late and something bad happens. Sometimes my feelings can come out in the weirdest of ways.

I'm happy today. SO happy. I knew something good was going to happen the moment I got up out of my bed. First thing's first: I looked in the mirror. My hair was a mess as I got into the shower. Somehow by the time I was done it looked silky perfect. I could see my dark brown roots growing in which meant it was time to get a touch-up of my favorite blue hair dye. Oh well, not a big deal. My hat would hide it for the time being.

On the way out to the garage where I left my guitar, I passed my sister Trina. Usually she slept in for a few more hours on a Sunday. She looked mad and I'm guessing it was not just the lack of sleep getting to her. Maybe Nick Mallory had flirted with Mina at school again. Trina treated her supposed best friend so badly that I almost could be persuaded to want to help. But after five seconds of pondering how to solve the problem, I came up with no solution so I just went back on my way.

Playing the guitar helped me pass the time till the twins got here. Kin and Kon were the best gamer buddies ever. We'd have invited Laney too, but she wasn't into that stuff. Later on, she dropped by on happenchance and I was afraid she'd feel bad about being left out. But to my surprise, she said nothing related to the games at all.

"Corey, I'm surprised you're looking as sane as you do right now." Laney remarked coolly. "You know, I thought your sister would be running around like crazy and drive you nuts."

"What? Why?" I asked as I stood up cautiously.

Laney double-blinked. "How could you not know? I mean come on. Your sister has been posting her novel-length rants everywhere online about how Nick and Mina made their relationship official last night. Trina thinks her life is over, blah blah blah."

My phone was still on my nightstand. I hadn't checked it since yesterday. But Trina being mad…this was a perfect lyric opportunity. I grinned. "I wonder if she finally exploded yet and wrote something down in her diary! Let's go find out! Try not to be too obvious."

"Um, Core—"

"Shhh. Not now, Lanes. We have some snooping to do now." Laney sighed and gave up whatever she was going to say. I led the group as they followed me quietly into the main part of the house.

Without Mina, Trina had no one to yell at. Their friendship must have ended—that kind of went without saying. It was kind of hilarious though because I totally saw this one coming. Seriously though, Trina didn't? I rolled my eyes because my sister was an idiot at times. Her face was almost frozen in this angry expression and she was this close to having the steam of anger hiss out her ears as she whipped up some brunch.

We snuck past her quickly and searched all around for the diary but it seemed to be missing. Oh no, maybe she hadn't vented yet? What if the diary had been left somewhere? What if somebody took it? What if Trina decided she was too old for a diary? I gasped and my friends all stared at me. What if…what if we can never get anymore lyrics?! If the diary is never found, I'm going to be the one to take the blame. I'll be the one who let my band down because I lost the only lyric ideas we had. We might…never have anything original to make music for again! And the music, it was the best part about having a band!

Okay, let's not panic here. There was still one last hope: the garbage cans. I supervised as my friends dug. If Trina really did dump her diary, that would be the place. When we—er, _they_—went through every trash can in the house, they were pretty tired and smelly, and kind of mad at me for making them do that. I felt like a stringless guitar—basically useless—as I sat down limply on the couch in the garage—right back where we had started. "No…more…lyrics. Is this it? Guys…is this it for us?" I asked. And boy, did I fear the answer.

Kin was about to state the obvious but Kon put his hand over his brother's mouth sadly. "I don't think there is any positive way to put it, Corey. If we don't have lyrics, it's over for us. We can't make any new songs."

I looked down at the floor hopelessly. That was when Laney stepped in with this look on her face as if she was about to save the day. "Guys? Hey, don't count us out just yet, okay? The other night some lyrics just came to me as I was doing my hair—I mean, watching a movie. I jotted them down as fast as I could. I don't know if they are any good…"

"Well let's hear it." I said. "Even if they suck, something is better than nothing."

Laney rolled her eyes at that and started playing. Her voice was shaky but once she got more comfortable with singing a solo despite us staring at her, she sung better.

"_It's bright out as I take a walk_

_One day maybe could we talk?_

_I'm so tired of trying and failing_

_I need encouragement not despair_

_My heart's so heavy, _

_Kind of like a steel wall_

_Will my hard efforts ever pay off?_

_Or even amount at all?_

_I know I need you_

_And you know you need me too_

_Oh, I know I need you_

_And you know you need me too_

_If I look, will I see you there?_

_Or are you once again nowhere?_

_If the past could make a phone call_

_It would say its sorry for it all_

_I know I need you_

_And you know you need me too_

_Oh, I know I need you_

_And you know you need me too_

_I'm talking to nothing_

_All I hear is my own breathing_

_Some things are both our faults_

_One day maybe could we talk?_"

"Well the chords need some work, but I think it's doable." Kin commented.

"Are you kidding? It's AWESOME!" I stood up and gave Laney a hug. I realized after I released her that she was blushing, but I didn't consciously realize it. The twins and I picked up our instruments and started working with what we had. Now we needed some kind of cheesy romantic gig to play at…maybe an opportunity would come out of nowhere like Laney's lyrics. Or maybe we'd have to work for it.

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**This was a little story PrennCooder and I started (well she wrote most of it, including the lyrics so thank her for that), and maybe one of you guys could help us finish it if you like it? She's not inspired anymore and I have writers block but she told me maybe a new cowriter would be able to help with that. I'm looking for someone who ships CoreyxLaney (as if everybody didn't already) and who has perfect grammar. No OCs or mature stuff. Of course I will want you to ask PrennCooder if she is OK with you continuing it also, since this story is mostly hers. She just wanted me to post it because of my penname XD**


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